To decode the warm minimalism of Berlin architecture practice Studio Mara reveals a reverence for the natural, the raw and the nuanced. Yet it’s what the duo’s spaces leave out that defines their subtle atmospheres – something felt more than seen. Whether rehabilitating Berlin lofts carved up by misguided ‘90s renovations the or unfurling a hunched Majorcan finca towards an ocean view, the architecture of Mirjam Danke and Olaf Schulz is a practice of subtraction. In an exclusive editorial feature, the partners in life and work invited Ignant into their new workspace at Glint in Berlin-Mitte, whose gentle essentialism exudes a powerful presence.

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Cloudbursts of sienna bloom across large-format canvases, effusive in their warmth. With time, an apparition appears to hover through. Below the surface of Leonardo Anker Vandal’s Adagio paintings, a disquiet gathers force, drawing the viewer into the fluid mirror of minimal abstraction. In the work and world of the self-taught Danish artist, beauty and sorrow are intimately entangled. Embedded in the existential preoccupations of his 18th-century Romantic muses – Keats, Yates, Mahler – his work is forged through the “excavation of memories;” a personal therapeutic process with widespread resonance. From his studio in Brescia, Italy, accompanied by his beloved Border Collie, Nemorino, Anker Vandal speaks with radical openness about the arc of his autodidacticism, existence outside the art establishment, and the figurative trail of breadcrumbs he hopes to leave for those who need it most.

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Greek boutique agency Studio Bonarchi designs interiors with contrasting elements. Between refined sophistication and summer serenity, between robust marble sinks and soft linen sheets, between local heritage and cosmopolitan modernity, their spaces are of laid-back elegance. Through its signature touch of accentuating muted and neutral tones with dark elements, the studio continually draws the eye to the most powerful presence of all: natural light.

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Engaging in a wide range of activities and ventures, Oliver Garcé and Clio Dimofski defy conventional categorizations of what a design studio or an art gallery should be. Operating from their space in Lisbon that doubles as their home and an exhibition space, they continuously explore new languages of design — both independently and as curators for the most sought-after makers in the design community. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with the creative duo at their Lisbon apartment, exploring their vision of crafting exploratory objects that are always made with respect to craftsmanship.

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The Greek word “Τόπος” [topos] reveals a remarkable flexibility when it comes to its applications. While at its core it symbolizes a physical place or location, its exact meaning can vary depending on the context. In literature, it symbolizes a recurring theme, in rhetoric, it equates to a commonplace—a widely accepted idea that builds the base of an argumentation. In all of its nuances mentioned above, however, topos embodies a given and a point from which further dialogues and ideas can emerge. Topos is also the term guiding the creative approach of the Athenian architecture and design studio Block722.

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Fien Muller and Hannes Van Severen met in 2001 at the LUCA School of Arts in Ghent. Amidst hours of study—her, photography; him, sculpture—love grew between them, becoming a creative world in which art and life coalesce and intertwine. Today, the couple is best known for their work at Muller Van Severen, a design studio whose playful minimalist furniture has defined a new era in functional art.

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The practice of Athens-based artist Theodore Psychoyos revolves in its essence around matter. His functional objects put raw shapes and smooth surfaces in dialogue and explore the fine line between gravity and balance. Through the hefty character of his creations, which often take on the shape of stools, benches, and tables, he challenges our ability to adapt to the spaces that surround us. Ignant visited the sculptor in his atelier, just a few kilometres away from the centre of the Greek capital.

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For Berlin-based product designer Hanne Willmann, one of the essential functions of furniture is to create an emotional response in its users. While her works are characterized by a clear language of form, her philosophy toward creation paves the way for shapes that go beyond pure rationality. A few weeks ago, we visited Willmann in her studio to delve into her practice and learn more about her design process.

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Spanning his interior work from residential to exhibition design, Isern Serra conveys minimalism with a human face in every space he designs. His style, deeply rooted in the architectural traditions of Catalonia, invites Mediterranean serenity to otherwise bustling cities. Although he started his practice over a decade ago, it is the architect’s own home that has solidified his position in the international design scene—a testament to his signature style. The light-filled space is shared with Serra’s partner, Valeria Vasi, a renowned designer herself, whose carefully crafted objects enliven the space. We visited the couple to discuss their home, ongoing projects, and their life together as creatives.

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Latika Nehra creates objects that invite us into a cosmos where multiple stories intertwine. Shaped through traditional hand-building techniques and inspired by contemplations of tomorrow, her pieces take us on an exploratory journey on which we are allowed to traverse different notions of time. Ignant visited the ceramist in her Berlin studio to learn how she uses clay to navigate the past and the future.

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Milena Kling‘s practice seamlessly blends the work of a designer, a researcher, a scientist, and a curator. Inspired by her memories, the beauty of nature, and the results of material-based research, she creates delicate objects made of glass. To learn more about Kling’s creations and her multi-layered process, Ignant visited her showroom in Berlin.

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With a portfolio that spans minimalist furniture, functional design objects, and futuristic artworks, the practice of Jakub Kubica meets at the intersection of various disciplines. Despite their versatility, all of his works come together under the arch of a broader vision—the quest to rediscover the known and to foster a conversation about nature and how we, humans, interact with it. During a visit to his atelier, Ignant was invited to explore Kubica’s cosmos and the place where his ideas take shape.

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When Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset first entered the art world in the early 1990s, they were met with numerous conventions and behavioral codes that they perceived as “a little bit disappointing.” A realization that marked the beginning of the duo’s subversive journey through the art world, transforming museums and galleries around the globe into unexpected and slightly unsettling environments. During the early days of summer, the two artists welcomed Ignant into their studio and talked about how they converted spaces to challenge the status quo.

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The Danish-born Berlin-based designer Frederik Fialin makes bold yet playful minimalist furniture from hard-wearing, often recycled materials. He relishes the juxtaposition he creates in his pieces, combining elements such as dark construction steel with bright velour padding. Though classically trained as a cabinet maker, Fialin is constantly pushing boundaries and testing his ability. Most of all, as he recently told Ignant from his Neukölln studio, he wants to maintain a sense of fun.

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The work of German sculptor Michael Sailstorfer revolves around the themes of transformation and temporality, and he frequently emphasizes a dialogue between nature and the human-made world. While his ideas often manifest in the form of objects and installations, the artist continually pushes the boundaries of sculpture, seeking to explore its limitations. Ignant had the opportunity to visit Sailstorfer in his studio in Berlin-Weißensee in early June and take a closer look at some of his works.

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